As the Electoral College prepares to convene on December 15, FairVote has
released a powerful new report on where the major party presidential
campaigns devoted time and resources. More than half of all
resources were devoted to four states, and more than 98% devoted to only
15 states, leaving nearly two-thirds of the country as effective
spectators to the election -- and less likely to vote. But with the
National Popular Vote plan making headway in the states, 2012 promises
elections where all Americans can hold their president accountable.Press release: 2008's Shrinking Battlegrounds
FairVote's Presidential Campaign Tracker
2008 Presidential ad spending
Anti-Electoral College piece in Philadelphia Inquirer
National Popular Vote
The National Popular Vote plan has now passed 21 state legislative chambers – most recently both chambers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Meanwhile, civic support keeps growing, with delegates at the NAACP convention in July voting to endorse the proposal. With four states having adopted the plan, expect significant progress in 2009 , with greater urgency for legislatures to take action in order for enough states to pass it to establish a national popular vote based on voter equality in 2012.
On June 6, Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida) introduced S. 3100, a bill that would encourage advance voter registration for sixteen year olds, and automatic re-registration of voters who changed their residence. S. 3100 would create a grant program to provide the States with the funds needed to implement pre-registration for sixteen year olds, so ensuring that they would be on the voter rolls when they turn eighteen. Pre-registration, combined with automatic re-registration, would be a significant step towards FairVote's goal of universal voter registration. The bill also makes provision for absentee voting, mail-in voting, and vote verification through paper trails and manual audits. 
